SYLACAUGA, Ala. – The Federal Emergency Management Agency, in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission, will conduct a national test of the Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alerts beginning at 1:20 p.m. CT on Wednesday, Aug. 11.
You’ll hear or see the Emergency Alert System test much like regular monthly EAS tests in a one minute message through radio and television broadcasters, cable systems, satellite radio and television providers, and wireline video providers. It will state: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Emergency Alert System. This system was developed by broadcast and cable operators in voluntary cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Federal Communications Commission, and local authorities to keep you informed in the event of an emergency. If this had been an actual emergency an official message would have followed the tone alert you heard at the start of this message. No action is required.”
The Wireless Emergency Alert test will be directed only to consumer cell phones where the customer has opted-in to receive test messages and will include a special loud tone and a vibration, both repeated twice, along with a special text message. Cell towers will broadcast the test for approximately 30 minutes, during which time compatible wireless phones that are switched on, within range of an active cell tower, and whose wireless provider is participating should be receive the test message only once. The message that appears on phones will read: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”
This coordinated test is designed to evaluate the effectiveness of FEMA’s public alert and warning systems to distribute an emergency message nationwide and the operational readiness of the infrastructure for distribution of a national message to the public.
